California Senator Alex Padilla stated on Sunday that the state has “no obligation” to assist federal immigration authorities with the identification or deportation of illegal immigrants.

Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, Padilla underscored California’s refusal to utilize state and local resources to enforce federal immigration laws, emphasizing that such responsibilities rest solely with the federal government.

“No state government—not Texas, not California, not any state in the nation—has a constitutional authority to impose federal immigration law. That is the responsibility of the federal government,” Padilla explained.

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He added, “We’re not going to utilize state and local resources to do the federal government’s job for them.”

Padilla framed the policy as a public safety measure, citing California’s diverse population and large immigrant community.

“California is the most populous state in the nation, the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation,” Padilla said.

“The last thing you want to do is have immigrants who are victims of crime afraid to come forward to report that crime. The last thing you want is immigrants who may be witnesses to crime to be afraid to come forward and share any information that they have in the investigation and prosecution of crimes.”

Padilla dismissed the notion of conflict between state and federal authorities, arguing, “Let the federal government do the federal government’s job, but have state and local officials do the state and local officials’ job. There doesn’t have to be a conflict unless that’s what Trump wants.”

Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan, appointed by President-elect Donald Trump, has made clear his intent to ramp up deportation operations, particularly in sanctuary cities and states that resist federal immigration enforcement.

“If these sanctuary states and cities keep pushing back, I’ll have the extra resources to double manpower in those sanctuary cities,” Homan said during an appearance on Fox News last Friday.

He noted that failing to cooperate with federal authorities often requires a larger operational footprint.

“If we can’t arrest the bad guy in the jail with one agent, it means I’ve got to send a whole team out into the field to find this person.

For officer safety reasons, we need a whole team, rather than just one person,” he explained.

Homan also addressed criminal illegal aliens directly, urging those with serious offenses to self-deport. “We know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you,” he warned during a November interview.

He clarified that while priority would be given to those who pose public safety or national security threats, self-deportation remains an option for others.

“While we’re out prioritizing the public safety threats and national security threats, if you want to self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and we’re gonna come and find you,” Homan said. He reiterated that “criminals and gang members… get no favors from this administration.”

Homan offered a more measured approach for those who entered the country illegally but have not committed additional crimes. “They can put everything in order and leave with their family all together,” he said, adding that federal authorities would provide transportation to their country of origin.

“They found their way across the world to come to the greatest nation on earth, and they can find their way home,” Homan stated. “Either that, or I can give them a free airline ticket.”

Padilla’s comments reflect California’s longstanding commitment to sanctuary policies, which critics argue protect criminal illegal aliens at the expense of public safety.

In contrast, Homan emphasized the Trump administration’s dedication to strict immigration policies and removing those who broke U.S. laws.

The clash between state and federal priorities sets the stage for heightened tensions as the incoming administration seeks to implement its immigration policies in jurisdictions resistant to federal oversight.